NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says Tom Brady is ‘making progress’ in his bid to become a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Brady, widely considered the greatest quarterback in history, first agreed to purchase a minority Raiders stake in May of last year – a few months after bringing the curtain down on his storied NFL career.
Since then, however, the deal has been held up over concerns from other teams in the league regarding both the price – which was deemed to be below market value at $175million for a 10 percent stake – along with the 46-year-old’s upcoming transition into on-air broadcasting with FOX Sports.
Reports then emerged last month claiming he had moved a step closer to getting his share in Las Vegas after reaching the threshold to clear the league’s final hurdles, and Goodell has confirmed that all parties are on the right track.
‘I wouldn’t say it’s a delay,’ he said about Brady’s proposed Raiders deal at the NFL’s annual league meeting.
‘We go through a very thorough process. We’re just going through our process.
‘We’ve been in touch with their side. I think it’s been making progress.’
It is believed Brady’s pending investment in the Raiders has been altered to reflect the correct valuation of the team, which is estimated to be around $6bn.
The seven-time Super Bowl winner’s investment group, which also includes Knighthead Capital co-founder Tom Wagner, is set to purchase the 10 percent stake in the Raiders, with Brady taking seven percent himself.
Brady and Wagner also co-own a host of other sporting franchises, including English soccer club Birmingham City, a Major League Pickleball outfit and a world-championship level auto-racing team.
The seven-time Super Bowl winner is still set to become a broadcaster with FOX in the 2024 season, which will bring an end to his 18-month hiatus from the NFL.
‘I’ve got a big broadcasting job that’s going to start in September,’ he said recently. ‘I’m already working hard on trying to make sure I’m ready for that opportunity.’
